Want a festive and fun appetizer…or a way to get "beet haters" to unsuspectingly eat beets? Try this recipe for Beet Napoleons! Certain members of my family swear they are tried-and-true beet haters. Despite the many ways this delicious and super-healthy vegetable can be eaten, I'm foiled each and every time I try to sneak a beet into a dish. Till now.
I used golden beets because they tend to be a little more mellow than the red variety. I also tried the chioggia variety, which are gorgeous with red and white stripes under the skin, but after cooking, the colors bleed and the result is an unappealing washed out pink color.
This recipe calls for a batch of Cashew-Garlic Ricotta Cheese, which can be made in advance. (For this recipe, use a little less liquid when making the Cashew-Garlic Ricotta Cheese so that the result is thicker and holds up better between the layers of beets. You can leave out the step of soaking the cashews and that will also lead to a thicker, firmer texture.)
Try these for your next party, the beets can also be roster in advance so prep time is a breeze. I assembled these for a party one day in advance, then wrapped them with plastic wrap. They were perfect. So perfect they almost never made it to the party.
Preheat oven to 400ºF. Remove the greens from beets by cutting them off close the to top of the beet. (Beet greens are delicious when sautéed with a little oil and garlic or steamed, so save these for later.) Cut off any long roots then wrap beets individually in foil. Place them on a baking tray and place in the oven. Roast for about an hour or until a fork or knife can be easily inserted and removed.
If you haven’t made the Cashew-Garlic Ricotta Cheese in advance, make it now while the beets are roasting. (Note that if you haven’t soaked your cashews in advance, it’s fine, because un-soaked nuts will yield a thicker, firmer texture, which is what you want for this recipe.
When beets are done, remove from oven and let them cool in the foil. You can place the foil packages in a container or on a plate and refrigerate or leave them on the counter to cool. When beets are cool enough to handle, use a paper towel to rub off the skin. It should come off easily or with little effort.
Place beets on a cutting board and cut straight sides so that the beet is now more square than round. Carefully cut beet into thin, even slices (refer to photo). Stack slices and cut into desired final size which should be bite-sized. Slices about an inch long and half-inch wide work nicely. Spread the Cashew-Garlic Ricotta Cheese onto one slice, then top with another. Spread another spoonful of cheese and top with the final slice of beet. Continue till all the beets have been used. You will likely have extra ricotta. Use a slightly dampened paper towel to gently wipe around the sides to clean up any ricotta so that they layers look nice and clean. Plate the pieces on large white platter for visual appeal.
Preheat oven to 400ºF. Remove the greens from beets by cutting them off close the to top of the beet. (Beet greens are delicious when sautéed with a little oil and garlic or steamed, so save these for later.) Cut off any long roots then wrap beets individually in foil. Place them on a baking tray and place in the oven. Roast for about an hour or until a fork or knife can be easily inserted and removed.
If you haven’t made the Cashew-Garlic Ricotta Cheese in advance, make it now while the beets are roasting. (Note that if you haven’t soaked your cashews in advance, it’s fine, because un-soaked nuts will yield a thicker, firmer texture, which is what you want for this recipe.
When beets are done, remove from oven and let them cool in the foil. You can place the foil packages in a container or on a plate and refrigerate or leave them on the counter to cool. When beets are cool enough to handle, use a paper towel to rub off the skin. It should come off easily or with little effort.
Place beets on a cutting board and cut straight sides so that the beet is now more square than round. Carefully cut beet into thin, even slices (refer to photo). Stack slices and cut into desired final size which should be bite-sized. Slices about an inch long and half-inch wide work nicely. Spread the Cashew-Garlic Ricotta Cheese onto one slice, then top with another. Spread another spoonful of cheese and top with the final slice of beet. Continue till all the beets have been used. You will likely have extra ricotta. Use a slightly dampened paper towel to gently wipe around the sides to clean up any ricotta so that they layers look nice and clean. Plate the pieces on large white platter for visual appeal.
